Dubai, the futuristic metropolis of the United Arab Emirates, may be known for its lavish lifestyle, but it’s also home to a growing number of green businesses. In recent years, Dubai has made a concerted effort to incorporate sustainable practices into all aspects of life. Calling 2023 the year of sustainability, the government gave a kick to all karma-positive entities and initiatives.
Here, we introduce you to some of the top eco-businesses in Dubai which are contributing to a greener future so you can cool down your booty in the sea for another decade.
DGrade
Textile out of plastic bottles
Rebecca Rich, Head of Marketing & CSR:
“To put it briefly, DGrade is a sustainable textile manufacturing brand that offers products made from recycled plastic bottles”.
Being built by the old-school surfer Kris Barber with a textile-manufacturing background, the brand is committed to reducing plastic waste, carbon footprints and water, while promoting eco-friendliness and producing high-quality products.
All starts with their SimplyBottles eco-initiative, where DGrade educates the community about the harm of plastic waste and offers help in collecting plastic. The brand makes sure all the materials are recycled by running the process at its own factory. After thorough washing, plastic is then repurposed in a closed-loop system called GreenspunTM. DGrade recycles ex-plastic flakes into fabrics called Greenspun™ yarn (isn’t it insane?). The clothing made from recycled plastic bottles is durable, breathable and moisture-wicking. Sounds like the best summer sportswear, right?
Avani Middle East
Eco-friendly packaging
Peter Avram, Founder & CEO:
“Invented in 2014, Avani (which means “Earth” or “Mother Earth”) fights plastic pollution with technology”.
Its compostable bioplastic, made from renewable cassava starch, as well as sustainable food packaging and hospitality products, combat the negative impact on the environment. Avani uses a Triple Bottom Line approach for business sustainability and encourages the use of eco-friendly packaging to reduce harm to the environment.
Everyone knows traditional plastics take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills, while clear-cutting forests need 100 years or more to recover. Avani creates new technologies to provide alternatives using eco-friendly materials from sustainable sources, stressing the importance of keeping our planet healthy (for our own good, obviously).
By substituting 100% compostable plastic alternatives crafted from natural and renewable constituents, Avani Middle East, one of the biggest beasts in the sustainability business arena, has succeeded in reducing plastic bag consumption by 60% and hospitality disposables by 35%.
Its comprehensive product range, including shopping bags and take-away cups, obtains non-toxic certification and poses no danger if ingested by animals.
Avani Middle East supplies a collection of well-known names, such as Green Planet Meraas, Virgin Megastores, HSBC, Marriott Group, and EMAAR Hospitality Group.
Mayee Water
UAE’s first subscription-based atmospheric water supplier
Mark Boyes, Co-Founder:
“We utilize a unique filtration process to create an alkaline, mineral-rich product”.
How exactly? By grasping the atmospheric humidity and turning it into actual drinking water (c r a z z z y). Mayee is truly a magical brand and a great example of the power of simple thinking. Its founders dared to turn the worst enemy of all Dubai peeps into their best friend. And yes, we are talking about the humidity of our climate here.
Mayee Water is the first supplier of atmospheric water in the UAE that operates on a subscription-based model. The company aims to provide healthy and eco-friendly drinking water to its customers while also contributing to a greener tomorrow.
With its state-of-the-art filtration, Mayee ensures that its water is of the highest quality — PH-balanced, free from chemicals and microplastics, and loaded with essential minerals.
Mayee aims to reduce environmental pollution and protect marine life by removing the need for plastic bottles. Besides, Mayee’s atmospheric water generator ensures you have a constant supply of fresh water without any deadlifting needed for every other grocery shopping.
Food Karma
Saving the planet by saving food and money
Eugenie Dronneau, Founder & CEO:
“FoodKarma is an innovative digital platform that actually helps reduce food waste”.
Having the word “karma” in their name, the brand’s mission is to create a positive boomerang effect (or even influence global karma) in terms of food waste.
This platform collaborates with restaurants, cafes, and vendors that have extra food available and offers eco-friendly people the opportunity to rescue their meals (by “rescue” we mean purchase at a friendly price and enjoy restaurant-quality food at home ????
Among the places FoodKarma is collaborating with are Wild & The Moon, Ultra Brasserie and Pause Gourmet. Now you can stay at home and enjoy a great meal contributing to the minimization of food waste. How good is that? The UAE highlights how important this topic is with the establishment of the UAE Food Bank and the #ZeroFoodWaste initiative by the Dubai Municipality.
FoodKarma helps restaurants tackle their growing problem of wasted food, while also making it easier for you to be a part of the solution. An eternal win-win, isn’t it?
Green Touches
Ethical cleaning company
CEO & Founder Adrienne Doolan:
“Green Touches provides eco-friendly cleaning services and products that prioritize health and wellness, promote good indoor air quality, and reduce toxic chemicals in the UAE”.
Simply put, Green Touches’ job is to make sure that it’s safe for you to eliminate the consequences of Saturday night partying on a lazy cleaning Sunday (and we all know that cleaning takes ages).
Their product is a great example of a domino effect: it uses less water and plastic bottles, encourages recycling, and prevents the use of toxic chemicals in the UAE. To connect the dots for you, the logic is that using less water leads to a reduction in energy use. Clean technology also reduces the number of plastic bottles that end up in landfills.
CEO and Founder Adrienne Doolan’s mission is to educate people about these benefits and encourage them to adopt sustainable lifestyles with minimal mental load. “Every small change can have a significant impact on climate action, and we encourage everyone to join us in making a difference,” she says. More than that! The company organizes panel discussions on climate change and other environmental topics and the IPCC Report under its brand to raise awareness by all means possible.
